Read Online A Child in Need by Marion Lennox - Free Book Online

interested in joining clubs.’
    â€˜Why ever not?’ She was astonished.
    â€˜I have plenty to do to keep me employed.’
    â€˜Like what?’ She fixed him with a look that was remarkably like her sister’s. It was totally disconcerting. ‘Your work here is hardly Go, Go, Go . What else do you intend to do in this town?’
    What else indeed? Nick took the case file he’d come out to retrieve, retreated to his office and glowered.
    What?
    In the city his work had been eighty hours a week plus. That was the way he liked it. He thrived on work. And his spare time? He filled it with restaurants, plays, films and art shows, all with different women…
    There was a dearth of restaurants, plays, films and art shows around here, he thought desperately. And beautiful women.
    â€˜Nick…’ There was yet another knock on the door and he sighed.
    â€˜I’m busy,’ he called.
    â€˜Nonsense.’ The door opened and Mary walked right in. Followed by Shanni…and followed by Harry, and his heart kicked at the sight of the pair of them.
    Shanni was just as he remembered though not as dishevelled as after a night of being held hostage. She was now wearing a soft pink print dress which was bare around her shoulders and suited her perfectly. Her curls were tied back with a pale pink and blue ribbon. She looked happy, young and carefree, and her smile enfolded everyone in the room. It was Mary’s smile and then some. A knockout smile!
    â€˜Hi,’ she said. ‘Mary said you weren’t busy.’
    â€˜Mary said…’ Something would have to be done about Mary. Soon!
    â€˜She also said your lunch-hour is between one and two,but today you have no more court cases until three. So Harry and I came to take you out to lunch.’
    By her side, Harry said absolutely nothing. He was dressed in simple shorts and T-shirt as he’d been wearing the last time Nick saw him, and the cast on his leg looked absurdly heavy for such a little one. And he was silent. Waiting.
    For what? Nick knew. Harry held onto Shanni’s hand and he looked at Nick with eyes that said he was waiting to be struck. Or…he was waiting for Nick to say no.
    Same thing.
    â€˜I don’t think I can…’ Nick tried to prevaricate but it sounded weak, even to him. For heaven’s sake, he did not want to get involved here. But he didn’t want to hurt the child…
    â€˜We aren’t looking for anything formal, are we, Harry?’ Shanni told him, choosing to ignore his hesitation. ‘But Thursday is my half-day off, Harry wanted to see you and Mary tells us that you’re free.’
    â€˜I’m busy.’
    â€˜Don’t be silly. There’s nothing I can’t handle here,’ Mary said blithely, beaming at her sister in friendly conspiracy. ‘Off you go and enjoy yourself. It’ll do you good to get out into the fresh air.’
    â€˜I don’t need fresh air.’
    â€˜Oh, for heaven’s sake.’ Mary assumed her severest look, facing him with an expression that said, No nonsense or you’ll stay in after school and do two hundred lines. She used Shanni’s school-marm tone. ‘You sound like this town will bite, Nick Daniels. There’s nothing out there to be afraid of, and Shanni will take good care of you.’
    Then Mary and Shanni both beamed.
    What was a man to do? ‘I’m being railroaded,’ he said weakly.
    â€˜Of course,’ Mary agreed. ‘It’s what the McDonald girlsare good at. We’ve been trained from birth by a very railroading mama. And grandma. And great-grandma come to that. Shanni, make him take his tie off.’
    â€˜Take your tie off,’ Shanni said. ‘You can’t eat fish and chips on the beach when you’re wearing a designer shoelace.’
    â€˜I’m not…’ He rose and backed off.
    â€˜Yes, you are,’ Mary said, and she put her hands